DODOMA: THE National Parliaments, individual Member of Parliaments (MPs) and the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) have been advised to collaborate with the media in order to draw attention of stakeholders and policymakers to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) issues.
The SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF), Communications and Advocacy Specialist, Moses Magadza made the statement during the two–day SADC PF Capacity Development Session for Tanzania Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) working on SRHR, HIV and AIDS to Map out strategies for engaging the Parliament of Tanzania held on 20th – 21st OCTOBER, 2016.
He said that working with the media means to draw attention of stakeholders and policymakers to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) issues that is intimate or private and can be misinterpreted unless openly debated.
The workshop, which drew participation from various CSOs in Tanzania and the media, was held in Dodoma. The reason for involving civil society organization is that CSOs are diverse and work with communities on the grassroots.
The objectives of the workshop included enabling CSOs to better understand the SADC-PF SRHR, HIV and AIDS governance project, discuss and explore the appropriate modalities for increased CSO technical support to members of Parliament as they advocate SRHR, HIV and AIDS governance and begin to articulate and concretize action on key SRHR, HIV and AIDS governance issues.
Magadza said the current status of SRHR, HIV and AIDS Governance coverage in the media is not visible through the media.
“The work that National Parliaments and CSOs are doing on SRHR, HIV and AIDS Governance issues is not visible through the media,” he said.
He therefore attributed to low coverage of SRHR, HIV and AIDS governance in the media to the perception that National Parliaments, individual MPS and CSOs are media-shy.
However, various editors and journalists have alleged that MPs and representatives of CSOs are slippery with information while the latter say they fear being wounded by the media.
He further said the project is now training journalists and some staff of Parliament in covering SRHR, HIV and AIDS Governance issues in simple but interesting and accessible ways.
However, various key issues were prioritized by the CSOs on which they could co-design and develop strategic actions for implementation when Parliament was constituted and these included develop capacity of MPs on the importance of availability and accessibility of SRHR. Hence, support MPs to advocate for increase budget on SRH at district and national level.
Others are to conduct media orientation session on the maternal mortality caused by Unsafe Abortion.
The media was identified as one of the key stakeholders that could be used in advocacy efforts as information can help in raising awareness in the area of SRHR, HIV and AIDS.
Participants therefore noted the need to formulate effective strategies in a bid to improve coverage of SRHR, HIV and AIDS and governance issues in the media.
On his part, Assistant Director for legislative services of Tanzania Parliament, Suleiman Mvunye urged CSOs to engage the legislature as partners on SRHR project execution.
In a speech read on behalf of the Clerk of the National Assembly Dr. Thomas Kashililah assured CSOs that parliament had opened its doors to the public to add value to parliamentary process.
The Director of Programmes at SADC PF Ms Boemo Sekgoma said that SADC Parliamentary Forum considers SRHR, HIV and AIDS governance issues important and topical.
She said there is need now to explore together with the CSO the possibility of CSO becoming a major force in ensuring that people realize their SRHR and have more access to HIV and AIDS governance initiatives in the shortest time possible.
“Recently and while working very closely with Members of Parliament and some CSOs, we developed the first-ever SADC Model Law on Eradicating Child Marriage and Protecting those already in Marriage,” she said.
Sekgoma said that this was done at a regional level and they are looking forward to a time when member states can begin to adopt and adapt this new Model Law and use it to strengthen their national responses to child marriage and other related issues.
“Our expectation is that through this interactive training session, both SADC PF and CSOs will gain a deeper and broader appreciation with respect to who is doing what with whom and to share experiences with those working with Parliamentarians on issues related to SRHR, HIV and AIDS governance,” said the Director of Programmes at SADC PF Ms Boemo Sekgoma .
What are the anticipated outcome of the SRHR and Media Interventions?
Do SRHR, HIV and AIDS Governance feature in the analysis of Parliamentary debates, questions, and resolutions?
Are Parliamentarians and CSOs opening up to the media?
Does Cabinet respond to evidence and suggestions by Parliament and has it become “normal” for female MPs, National Parliaments, CSOs to champion issues of SRHR, HIV and AIDS Governance issues through the media?
Is the Media championing SRHR and HIV progressive interventions backed by evidence instead of reinforcing stigma, discrimination, and violation of rights, vice versa?
Are CSOs collaborating with Parliaments on SRHR-related issues?
The SADC PF is a Regional Inter-Parliamentary body comprising of National Parliaments of SADC Members States.
SADC PF is implementing a four year SRHR, HIV/AIDS Governance project supported by SIDA-Sweden to contribute to ending AIDS by 2030.
The project seeks to empower female parliamentarians and National Parliaments to advocate for Universal Access to SRHR, HIV and AIDS governance.
Currently, the SADC Parliamentary Forum comprises 14 member Parliaments, representing over 3,500 Parliamentarians.
The Member Parliaments are; Angola, Botswana, DRC, Lesotho,, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
